Machines for lasting the toe ends of shoes



March 21, 1967' c. G. JOURDAN MACHINES FOR LASTING THE TOE ENDS OF SHOESFiled June 21, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CHHRLES GEORGE JOURDAN rW0 W March 21, 1967 c. G. JOURDAN MACHINES FOR LASTING THE TOE ENDS OFSHOES Filed June 21, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHHRL E5 GEORGEJOURDAH March 21, 196? c. G. JOURDAN MACHINES FOR LASTING THE TOE ENDSOF SHOES Filed June 21, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR CHHRLE S GEORGEJoli/mm United States 9,3 3 Claims. (Cl. 12-83) The present inventionhas as its object a machine for lasting the toe ends of shoes, andrelates more specifically to a distribution device for machines intendedfor assembly of the end of the upper and insole on a last, at the frontextremity of the shoe.

Machines of many types are available, by means of which this operationmay be performed mechanically. A very complete description of a machineof this nature may be found, for example, in the patent applicationfiled in the United States of America on I an. 22, 1959 under the numberSer. No. 788,396 in the name of A. W. Rockwell et 211., now Patent No.3,022,527

Irrespective of the particular method of operation of the said machines,their working principle may be summarised as follows:

The upper being secured provisionally in the area of the heel, forexample by means of tacks or sprig nails, its front portion is stretchedby means of a certain number of pincers or the like, which are situatedaround the toe end of the last, and whereof the tension is adjustable inrespect of force, direction and duration.

The upper is positioned correctly on the last, in this manner.

An element of stirrup-shape or analogous shape, cooperating with thelast, ensures that the upper is held on the last in the last position.An element referred to as a distributor, arranged in horseshoe shape onthe front of the last and below the same, then intervenes to distributethe fullness of the upper.

Another element of the machine, referred to as wipers, then acts on themarginal portion of the upper referred to as lasting margin, in order tofold the same down and secure it under the insole, by gluing forexample. At the beginning of this operation, the upper is prevented fromslipping, after previously having been held under tension by the saidpincers, by keeping the same wedged between the said wipers and the saiddistributor which are brought into opposition.

These machines suffer from many shortcomings as a rule, especially ifthe upper comprises one or more linings. The assembly must then be gluedbefore lasting, which is an additional operation increasing the lastingperiod and thus production cost of the shoes.

On the other hand, these uppers which may comprise two or three layers,are not easily fitted on the insoles in correct manner, owing to theirthickness and possible slip of the different elements relative to eachother.

The device according to the invention is intended'to eliminate theseshortcomings, employing a form of construction which is simple andstrong, operates reliably and may easily be adapted to the knownmachines for lasting the toe ends of shoes.

It is a further object of the invention to simplify the operation offitting the upper on the insole, specifically in the case of shoes withl'med uppers.

Another object of the present invention is to produce shoes of betterquality, without increase in cost price, while preventing any excessivethickness of the skin folded under the insole.

In a machine for lasting shoes, of the kind comprising wipers arrangedto fold the toe end of an upper stretched 3,39,7Z1 Patented Mar. 21,1967 on a last, that is to say for folding the same under an insole, thepresent invention has as its object an improved distributor deviceco-operating with the said wipers in order to distribute the fullness ofthe upper, comprising an extremity coming into contact with the upper,which in characteristic manner comprises a cutting edge extending insuch direction as to sever a definite fraction of the thickness of thepart of the upper folded under the insole, and adjusting means forlimiting the penetration of the cutting edge of the distributor into theupper, in order to set the cut thickness of the same.

During the final working operation of the machine described hereinabove,the said distributor and the said wipers are brought into opposition inorder to grip the lasting margin intended to be secured under theinsole, whilst keeping the same stretched around the last. The saidwipers then perform an advancing and closing motion, thereby folding thelasting margin of the upper under the insole. According to theinvention, during this motion, a fraction of the thickness of the saidlasting margin is cut away by the cutting edge of the said distributor,which performs a planing action on the inner face of the said lastingmargin of the upper.

The thickness to be cut from the said lasting margin may be adjusted toany value desired by limiting the depth of penetration of the cuttingedge of the said distributor into the thickness of the upper, when thesaid wipers and the said distributor are made to co-operate to grip theupper, by means of an appropriate device such as a displaceable stop orthe like.

For shoes whereof the uppers comprise two or three layer in particular,the penetration of the distributor may be adjusted in such manner as tocut the lining or linings only, and as to fold only the thickness of theupper itself under the insole.

According to a first form of embodiment of the invention, the saiddistributor is made in one piece, whereof the edge coming into contactWith the upper has its outer periphery sharpened.

According to another form of embodiment of the invention, the cuttingedge of the said distributor advantageously consists of a blade affixedto the same, made of hard steel for example, which may be secured indirectionally adjustable manner or not, on the upper extremity of thesaid distributor by means of clamping screws or of any other appropriatefastening devices.

The machines equipped with the cutting distributor of the presentinvention provide a considerable saving of time in the fitting of theupper on the insole, eliminating the preliminary gluing of the lining orlinings on the upper.

The cutting edge of the said distributor preferably extends on eitherside of the toe end of the shoe, throughout the a ea of counterpressure.

it is apt to note that the device according to the invention, whetherconsisting of a distributor of integral construction or comprising ablade secured on a conventional distributor, may easily be adapted tofit most of the existing machines without modification of theirstructure or operation.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings which show an embodiment of the invention, but in norestrictive sense.

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the top part of a machine forlasting the toe ends of shoes, of the type described in the UnitedStates patent application referred to.

FIGURES 2a, 2b and 2c are diagramamtic sections along the line 11 ofFIGURE 1, showing three successive stages in the operation of lastingthe toe end of a shoe according to a known method.

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of the cutting distributor device according tothe present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a section taken along the line IVIV of FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 5a, 5b and 5c illustrate views analogous to those of FIGURES 2a,2!) and 2c, showing three successive operations in the lasting of thetoe end of a shoe in a machine equipped with the cutting distributordevice according to the present invention.

The machine illustrated in FIGURE 1 comprises a shoe bearer or the like19, which is displaceable in the vertical direction and carries a last Lcovered with an upper comprising a. mar inal part M. An insole I isplaced on the said bearer 10 under the last L.

Articulated wipers 1 are situated laterally on either side of the last Land may be folded inwards to apply the marginal part M of the upper Uagainst the insole I situated under the last L.

A distributor 2 of a shape complementary to that of the toe end of theshoe which is to be lasted, co-operates with the wipers 1 to distributethe fullness of the upper U.

At the beginning of the lasting operation, the upper U is stretched onthe last L by means of a toe end claw or the like 3, and ofdirectionally adjustable lateral claws 3.

FIGURE 2a shows the upper stretched by the toe end claw 3 on the last Lplaced on the said bearer 10 which occupies its initial position.

In FIGURE 21'), the bearer 10 has been displaced upwards and the wipershave begun to fold the marginal part M of the upper U under the insoleI.

It will be noted that the upper U is no longer tensioned by the claw 3which has been opened, but is wedged between the wipers 1 and thedistributor 2 which thus hold the same in position on the last L.

In FIGURE 2c, the operation of lasting the toe end of the shoe isfinished. The marginal part M of the upper U has been folded whollyunder the insole I, to which it is to be secured, by gluing for example.

It is apt to note that the marginal part M folded under the insole I hasthe same thickness as the rest of the upper U.

FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate the distributor device according to thepresent invention.

This distributor device comprises a normally horizontal unit 6 of ashape complementary to that of the toe end of the last L, and a normallyvertical bottom extension 7 endowed with pegs or studs 8 by means ofwhich the said distributor may be secured on a corresponding supportingmember of the machine.

The upper portion 6 comprises a top edge 4 having a cutting edgesituated in a plane substantially parallel to that of the wipers.

The said distributor is of integral construction in the form ofembodiment illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4.

In another form of embodiment of the distributor according to thepresent invention, the cutting part may advantageously consist of acomponent, being a steel blade -for example, which may be secured indirectionally adjustable manner on the body of the distributor by anyappropriate devices, such as rivets, or bolts for example.

During the lasting operation, the cutting edge 4 of the distributor isbrought into contact with the inner surface of the lasting margin M ofthe upper U, in manner to be described hereunder, in order to cut downits thickness by a fraction.

FIGURES 5a to Sc show a diagrammatic illustration in vertical section ofa machine for lasting the toe ends of shoes, of a type analogous to thatillustrated in FIG- URE 1 but whereof the distributor 2 is replaced by adistributor 2 comprising a cutting edge 4, as described in respect ofFIGURES 3 and 4.

In FIGURE 5a, the last L covered with an upper U with a lasting margin Mtensioned by the end claw 3, occupies a low initial position on thebearer 10.

In FIGURE 5b, the bearer 10 has been displaced upwards and the wipers 1have been started on their inward displacement to fold the margin Munder the insole I. During this displacement, the claw 3 is opened andthe margin M is wedged between the wipers 1 and the distributor 2'. Thecutting edge 4 of the distributor 2 has started to penetrate into thethickness of the upper U, cutting a fraction 5.

To limit the thickness cut in the upper by the cutting edge 4-, anabutment device may be employed to adjust the gap present between thewipers 1 and the edge 4 when these two elements co-operate to distributethe fullness of the skin to be folded under.

In FIGURE 50, the operation of lasting the toe end of the shoe has beencompleted. A fragment, dropping away as a cut-oil, has been severed bythe cutting edge 4 of the distributor from the thickness of the margin Mof the upper U.

The thickness of the margin M folded under the insole I is smaller thanthat of the upper U. If this upper comprises two or three layers inparticular, the penetration of the cutting edge 4 may be adjusted insuch manner as to cut only the said linings.

This ensures elimination of any superfluous thickness in the area of thetoe end.

A machine comprising the said cutting distributor according to thepresent invention may thus be employed for lasting a shoe in simpler,faster and cheaper manner, whilst improving its quality.

I claim:

I. A machine for lasting the toe ends of shoes on a last by assembly ofan upper and insole, comprising a displaceable last bearer or the like,pincers for stretching the said upper, wipers intended for inwardmovement folding against the said insole of the lasting margin of thesaid upper stretched on the said last, and entraining devices fordisplacing the said last bearer, for opening and closing the saidpincers and for actuating the said wipers, in which an improveddistributor device is of shape complementary to that of the last and hasan edge coming into contact with the inner surface of the said lastingmargin of the said upper and co-operating with the said wipers after theopening of the said pincers and at the start of the inward displacementof the said wipers intended to distribute the fullness of the said upperand hold the same stretched on the said last, the said distributordevice comprising a cutting edge situated in a plane substantiallyparallel to that of the said wipers and directed outwards, for cutting afraction of the thickness of the said lasting margin of the upper heldbetween the said wipers and the edge of the said distributor, anddevices for adjusting the relative positions of the said wipers and ofthe said distributor being incorporated to control the penetration ofthe cutting edge of the said distributor into the thickness of the saidlasting margin of the upper.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the said cutting edge is anintegral part of the said distributor.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the said cutting edge iswrought on a separate component which may be fastened in removable anddirectionally adjustable manner on the said distributor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRICK D.LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

1. A MACHINE FOR LASTING THE TOE ENDS OF SHOES ON A LAST BY ASSEMBLY OFAN UPPER AND INSOLE, COMPRISING A DISPLACEABLE LAST BEARER OR THE LIKE,PINCERS FOR STRETCHING THE SAID UPPER, WIPERS INTENDED FOR INWARDMOVEMENT FOLDING AGAINST THE SAID INSOLE OF THE LASTING MARGIN OF THESAID UPPER STRETCHED ON THE SAID LAST, AND ENTRAINING DEVICES FORDISPLACING THE SAID LAST BEARER, FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE SAIDPINCERS AND FOR ACTUATING THE SAID WIPERS, IN WHICH AN IMPROVEDDISTRIBUTOR DEVICE IS OF SHAPE COMPLEMENTARY TO THAT OF THE LAST AND HASAN EDGE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SAID LASTINGMARGIN OF THE SAID UPPER AND CO-OPERATING WITH THE SAID WIPERS AFTER THEOPENING OF THE SAID PINCERS AND AT THE START OF THE INWARD DISPLACEMENTOF THE SAID WIPERS INTENDED TO DISTRIBUTE THE FULLNESS OF THE SAID UPPERAND HOLD THE SAME STRETCHED ON THE SAID LAST, THE SAID DISTRIBUTORDEVICE COMPRISING A CUTTING EDGE SITUATED IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL TO THAT OF THE SAID WIPERS AND DIRECTED OUTWARDS, FOR CUTTING AFRACTION OF THE THICKNESS OF THE SAID LASTING MARGIN OF THE UPPER HELDBETWEEN THE SAID WIPERS AND THE EDGE OF THE SAID DISTRIBUTOR, ANDDEVICES FOR ADJUSTING THE RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE SAID WIPERS AND OFTHE SAID DISTRIBUTOR BEING INCORPORATED TO CONTROL THE PENETRATION OFTHE CUTTING EDGE OF THE SAID DISTRIBUTOR INTO THE THICKNESS OF THE SAIDLASTING MARGIN OF THE UPPER.